Being able to receive payments from this class action if you are an Instagram user in this status. This is not money dropped from the sky, but it is the result of a gigantic class action lawsuit against Instagram in the state of Illinois. Do you remember that gigantic and scandalous case against Instagram for messing with biometric information?
Well, get ready because some lucky ones are already getting their slice of this $68 million pie in a settlement reached between the company and the plaintiffs.
According to the official website of the lawsuit Parris v. Meta Platforms, Inc., (Case No. 2023LA000672), filed in the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit Court of DuPage County, Illinois, people who used Instagram between August 10, 2015 and August 16, 2023 may be entitled to a payment under a class action settlement for the use of biometric data.
Class-Action Lawsuit Against Meta For Their Use of Biometric Data
On March 7, 2024, the court issued an amended order which approved the final agreement. That means that if you meet the requirements, you get a share of the money. Some people have already started receiving payments as of June 7, 2024. If you are among the plaintiffs and opted for the electronic transfer, the money should already be reflected. However, if you opted for paper check, be patient because it may take up to 30 days to arrive, depending on where you reside.
According to a press release, the settlement came after the lawsuit filed by DuPage County that claimed Instagram owner Meta had violated the Illinois biometric privacy act. Such legislation prohibits companies from collecting and storing biometric information that includes physical characteristics of the individual and can be used to identify them.
How Much Will the Plaintiffs Receive From This Class Action Settlement?
The amount each claimant receives will depend on the claimants who have joined the lawsuit and how many people are ultimately approved to receive payments. The settlement fund will be $68.5 million, but from there all administrative expenses, taxes, tax expenses and any group representation service awards must be deducted, that is, the legal costs of the lawyers.
All people who submitted their claim form and became members of the settlement class until September 27, 2023, will receive a payment. Those who have not submitted the claim form in a timely manner will waive their right to file their own lawsuit against the defendant on this same issue of biometric information.
All the rights and options and the deadlines to exercise them are in the public notice that was issued at the time the demand was made. This notice can be read at this link. This class action lawsuit is similar to another one filed in Illinois against Google, Snapchat and Facebook, in which hundreds of social media users were also paid for the use of their biometric data.
You can also get $500 from a class action lawsuit against Walmart, in which the plaintiffs alleged that there were discrepancies when purchasing groceries by weight. We’ve written an article about that particular case: you can read it here.
